Story of a Trailing Spouse: Sarcheshmeh Fish Market...

Sarcheshmeh fish market

Salaam,

It's the second Friday of the month. Another weekend and here we are, entering the second week of the new year. Couldn't feel that time is moving so swiftly nowadays. Woke up early this morning, as we've already planned to go 'fishing' today and as well as to stock up on some used-up grocery items too.

Weather seemed to be fine and promising when we left home but as we arrived at the wet market, there was quite a chill in the air this morning. On weekdays, Sarcheshmeh wet market, located along the Baharestan Square/Street in downtown Tehran, is normally a bustling and heavily congested area. But today it was not as crowded as we arrived rather early there. It took us only less than half an hour drive from the house which is more than 20 km away.

When come to fish, this is one of my favorite locations to look out for variety and freshness...well sort of (as almost all fish stocks in the city are frozen anyway, except for those coming from fresh water culture).

Surprisingly, in Iran, per capita consumption of fish is extremely low though variable. According to Iranian Fisheries Organization (SHILAT), average fish consumption ranges from less than 1 kg to more than 25 kg. Marine capture fisheries in Iran is rather limited, and hence aquaculture is considered as a more developed industry. More than 90% of aquaculture production in this country comes from fresh water culture, mostly of Chinese carp and rainbow trout. So particularly during autumn and winter, farmed fish are more commonly placed in the markets.

However, in most of the wet markets that we've been to, we may also find those varieties which are similarly available back home such as tona, sorkhoo and halva sefid. Sometimes, depending on the seasons, we could also be lucky to come across more favorite local species, albiet frozen, brought mainly from the south and the warm water of the Persian Gulf.

So much for the love of fish, its time for us to stock up, too, as we could not determine their availability especially when you are staying in an inland province, far away from the sea and beaches.

Wassalam.